Rants from a bored man

So the improbable dream is over for both Uruguay and Germany. Both missing important players, and both go out. To be honest neither of the semis were great matches. Not even very good really. Holland were weary, Uruguay worked hard. Spain, again, underwhelming, Germany too defensive.

So we will have a new nation win the WC to join the past 7 winners. For the first time also a European nation will win the WC outside their continent. History is being made in South Africa. FIFA got at least half of their dream match up. Spain will play, though FIFA would have loved to see them play against Brazil. Spain again got big breaks in refereeing decisions. Certain yellow card fouls not punished, offsides called or not called, depending who needed them.

Spain were better than Germany, and looking objectively, they deserved it. But this is not the team that won the European Championship just 2 years ago. They have most of the same players. But their play and tactics have been very poor by their standard. Holland too has changed. No more happy attacking total football. Instead we get total tactics. A composed, careful team. No silliness on and off the pitch like in the years past.

It should be a fairly even match. Though for Spain to win they will certainly need to play much better than they did in this WC. They got the results but have failed to impress. A lot of their wins were good luck, good bounces and great finishing by Villa. Of course many people will say that the mark of a great team is winning without playing great. But really now. There comes a time when you need to play because the luck will run out.

Holland have also not been on top of their form. But, like Spain, keep winning. Will that be enough? Certainly van Bommel and de Jong will have to do great work to protect the not so great back four and a fairly poor keeper. They have enough attacking prowess to go after Spain and hurt them. Kuyt should stay on the left to cover Ramos. And Robben can take the poor Capdevilla apart. Sneijder can be dominant over Busquets and Alonso. Villa has the edge over the poor van Persie.

There should be no questions about the Dutch line up. The back five if healthy should be as usual. Stekelenberg, van der Viel, Heitinga, Mathijssen, Gio. The two CMs, de Jong and van Bommel. Sneijder in front of them with Robben and Kuyt on the flanks. van Persie up top in a classic 4-2-3-1.

Spain a more of a question mark. Does del Bosque go with the team that won the semi or does he go back to the poor Torres. The only questions really. Cassilas in goal, Ramos, Pique, Puyol, Capdevilla in defence. Busquets, Alonso, Xavi as the middle 3. They are certain. As are Iniestsa wide and Villa, either up top on his own or on the left with Torres. Pedro did ok today, but he had that stupid, shocking, and selfish 2 on 1 which could have cost Spain. However I am thinking that Pedro might start. Just. del Bosque has been stubborn and gave the shockingly poor Torres chance after chance. Torres will likely come on as a sub.

So it will play out more or less like this. Spain will keep the ball from the start. They will, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. They will create chances. Holland will defend and try to hit them on the counter. Spain are a great team off the ball. They defend high, have great movement defensively and put a lot of pressure on the opposition. Holland are good and experienced enough to keep the ball and to pass out of trouble. And they hopefully wont give Spain the respect that they got from all the other teams. They certainly did not earn that respect this WC. Both teams know each other very well. Many Dutch players play or have played in Spain. Some have been team-mates of the Spaniards on their club sides. I believe that Bert van Marwijk is a better tactician than his counterpart.

Both teams have the hopes of their nations to finally achieve the dream of becoming World Champions (true World Champions, not like what American sports teams from local leagues call themselves). Holland sacrificed they great attacking play for results. Spain were one of the big favourites, after finally winning the Euros.

So hopefully it will be a good game, though I suspect, not as good and the third place match on Saturday. Players just want to get over the disappointment of losing the semis and go all out to win. No pressure. The final will have all the pressure. It might start off quite slowly with both teams just probing each other. But things can happen very quickly and a goal will change the game to an open contest. Lets hope for a quality match, and lets hope that Holland win this thing.